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The present invention relates to establishing circuits in networks, and more particularly to healing of incomplete circuits.
A SONET network includes a number of network elements (NE""s) interconnected by optical or electrical links. Data are transmitted over the links in transport signals, called Synchronous Transport Signals (STS""s) and Virtual Tributaries (VT""s). The network elements cross-connect the transport signals to form circuits through the network. Data (voice, computer files, or other kinds of data) from one or more network users can be inserted into a circuit at one end of the circuit (at a source NE). The data can be dropped from the circuit at the other end (a drop NE) for delivery to the destination or destinations. (A circuit may have more than one drop NE.)
Circuits are typically set up by a network manager (a human) via a network management system. The management system can run on a separate computer connected to one of the NE""s. The network manager uses the network management system to define how the transport signals should be cross-connected by the NE""s. That information is delivered to the NE""s over the network. The NE""s automatically set up their cross-connections accordingly.
Setting up circuits can be a confusing task, especially in high bandwidth networks in which multiple transport signals can go over the same physical link. It is desirable to make it easier for a network manager to set up circuits. In particular, it is desirable to make it easier to heal incomplete circuits. Incomplete circuits may result, for example, when a new network element is inserted into the network between other network elements. A link between the other network elements can be replaced by new links connecting the other network elements to the new network element. As a result, the circuits going over the link that has been removed become incomplete. It is desirable to make it easier for the user to heal such circuits.
The present invention facilitates healing of incomplete circuits. Computer circuitry (for example, a computer running a network management system) discovers points at which the incomplete circuit is interrupted. For example, if a network element NE1 is inserted between network elements NE2 and NE3, a circuit may become interrupted at ports of NE""s NE2, NE3 which are connected to NE1. The computer circuitry (e.g., the NMS) determines a cross-connection to be set up on an NE (e.g., NE1) to continue the circuit through the NE. The computer circuitry can send a command to the NE to set up the cross-connection to continue the circuit through the NE.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The invention is not limited to SONET or any other kind of network. The invention is defined by the appended claims.